Volunteer Opportunities and Internships

Spend a few hours giving back to the community and try something new or do something that you enjoy. Volunteering and having an internship can help you learn and develop skills, network, teach others your skills, gain work experience, enhance your resume, and more.

Vetted Resources

VolunteerMatch
Provides a website that offers information about volunteer opportunities with community service organizations throughout the United States. Persons searching for volunteer opportunities enter their zip codes on the website to find local volunteer opportunities matching individual interests and schedules.

Programs that identify individuals who have chosen to work on a full or part-time basis without remuneration in one of the human service fields and which systematically evaluate the skills, talents and personalities of recruited volunteers and match them with human service agencies that need voluntary support.

VolunteerMatch
Provides a website that offers information about volunteer opportunities with community service organizations throughout the United States. Persons searching for volunteer opportunities enter their zip codes on the website to find local volunteer opportunities matching individual interests and schedules.

Community organizations that are actively seeking individuals with the requisite knowledge, skills and experience who are willing to offer their services and work on a full or part-time basis without remuneration on projects or in positions that benefit the organization itself or the people it serves. Many agencies that provide volunteer opportunities also offer intensive training in the tasks that are required for the job.

Humane Society, Rancho Coastal
Operates pet adoption program for animals relinquished by their owners. Also provides community education and a foster animal program for survivors of domestic violence. Presentations are available to provide information on the link between human violence and animal abuse. Runs a volunteer program where individuals train and provide companionship for the animals awaiting adoption. Also provides education presentations for students K-12; presentations are also available for adult civic groups and businesses. Offers 501c3 rescue groups spay and neuter services at a lower price.

Kid's Community Service, Humane Society, Rancho Coastal
A volunteer program that reaches junior high and high school students about the shelter, the community and the animals around us. During their volunteer sessions, students earn community service hours by helping to maintain the facility, socializing animals and participating in promotional events.

Programs that provide employment opportunities for people who are willing to volunteer their time at low wages (or without remuneration) to work on social and economic development, environmental improvement or public safety projects throughout the U.S. and developing countries.

California Conservation Corps (CCC), San Diego Service District
Provides a year-long program for anyone who wants to help protect and enhance California's natural resources and communities. Members work for minimum wage and health, vacation, and sick leave benefits. Medical insurance is provided. Members work in both cities and rural areas, and may build parks and trails, plant trees, restore historic buildings, renovate neighborhood centers, improve wildlife habitat, and fight floods and forest fires. Members can live at one of the residential centers located throughout the state or as a nonresidential member at home. Training is provided for project work; and evening on-site high school classes to obtain a high school diploma and assist with completion of GED and/or college credit classes are offered with tuition paid by CCC. Career development and conservation awareness classes are also offered. CCC can accommodate people with disabilities.

Urban Corps
Provides job training and education to young adults between the ages of 18 and 25 years, who work in the fields of recycling, urban forestry, conservation, graffiti removal, and study at the Corps on-site Charter School. Participants must make a 32-hour workweek commitment, devote 8 hours to education and job training each week, and volunteer for community projects at least once a month. Participants receive an hourly salary. Project work may include cleanup for special events, community and neighborhood beautification, fire hazard reduction, playground and public park rehabilitation and maintenance, historic building restoration, graffiti removal, tree planting, recycling, light construction, and landscaping.

Foster Grandparent Program, Catholic Charities
Provides an adult-child relationship-building program for older adults and special and exceptional needs children who need one-to-one attention, academic tutoring, mentoring, and nurturing support. Foster grandparents receive the following benefits as part of the program: tax-deferred stipend, transportation allowance, one meal while volunteering, accident insurance, and special training relevant to their volunteer position and being a senior in San Diego County. They do not go into private homes. The program serves most of San Diego County with the exception of North County.

Programs that provide opportunities for advanced students, recent graduates or candidates for licensure in a professional field to gain practical or clinical experience in their chosen career prior to seeking gainful employment or practicing their profession. In some fields such as social work and marriage and family counseling, internships are requirements for licensure.

Internship Program
Develops and places in paid summer internships with business and industry talented African-American, Latino/Hispanic, and Native American Indian youth who are freshmen or sophomores in college; or who are high school seniors who are apply or have already been admitted to an accredited college or university.